Sorry, Jerry, but the Cowboys could have afforded Derrick Henry

After Ravens running back Derrick Henry gained 151 yards and scored two touchdowns against a beleaguered Dallas defense, Cowboys owner Jerry Jones said his team did not sign the modern-day Jim Brown as a free agent because They couldn't afford it.

This is a pot of something other than butter.

They could have afforded him. They chose not to pursue him.

Henry's contract with the Ravens has a cap hit of $5.105 million in 2024. The Cowboys currently have $25.8 million in salary cap space.

Although it was close at the start of the offseason, it's the Cowboys' fault for not taking more when they had the chance to go (warning!) “all in” on someone like Henry. The new contract that eventually went to receiver CeeDee Lamb freed up more than $9 million in salary cap space, and quarterback Dak Prescott's new contract brought in well over $10 million.

But the Cowboys delayed both contracts for reasons that still make no sense today. It never gets cheaper to sign a player who is eligible for a new contract.

Instead, the Cowboys invested $2 million in a reunion with running back Ezekiel Elliott, who rushed for six yards on three runs against Baltimore and has 62 yards this season.

So, no, Jerry is not telling the truth about Henry. Jones could have afforded him. However, Jones chose not to do what needed to be done to pursue him. And now Jerry's team is paying the price for their cheapness.

That is really the root of the Cowboys' problems. Despite everything he has done for the game, Jerry is stingy. And now, instead of long-lost Gloryhole cavehe's trying to deceive his fan base into believing that his poor little family business (with a $250 million superyacht out front) can't scrape together the cash and salary cap space to sign one of the league's best running backs.